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The
Gospel this week (Matthew 18.15-20) is an important issue for the entire
Anglican Church in Canada these days. It is about how to treat people when they
have sinned against you. But it made me stop and consider if we really know
these days, what a sin is. I have been watching reaction to an article that was
written for the September Anglican Journal by the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz. I have
been watching and listening to the reaction towards this article because the Primate
talks about “good disagreement”. Personally,
I find that when someone uses such language, they consider themselves the
victor in a dispute. Everyone got heard and many opinions were expressed and
then the right decision was made, favouring the side that declares victory. The problem I have with this method of
handling conflict in the Church, is that despite the declarations of being
inclusive and that everyone’s thoughts and opinions are going to be listened to
and honoured, it is increasingly clear that this is not true.
As
I consider the Gospel, I must ask, do we as a Church know what a sin is
anymore? The only real sin I see castigated against is anything that is capable
of curtailing choice of the individual. This is utterly against what the Gospel
clearly teaches. Sin is not just a personal matter between you and God, because
sin affects and infects the community and well as our connections with God.
What
is sin? The Greek word most used in the New Testament is hamartano. It means that a person, in living one’s life, misses the
mark and thus does not get to share in the victory and its prize. Living in a
state of unexpiated (unredeemed) sin (which is hamartia), constantly and consistently leaves a person away from
God. There is never a victory, there is never that which is enjoyed after a victory.
And it might be important to know that there is no list or worse grading of sin
that says that one must be address an is worse than another. We are to confront
and help each other on an ongoing basis with living the life that God calls us
to. It is not easy to do but we are not alone in it, the community that is the
Church is responsible for making sure that we live out the Gospel – together. The
unity of our message in the common life of the Church, which helps people to
see the Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to learn to deal with our conflicts
in a more fruitful way that builds up the unity of our community rather than
seeking the winner and losers and creating division in the Body of Christ. In
saying this, I think of St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians on conflict in their
Church. He tells them point blank:
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its
many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized
by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or
free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is
not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am
not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop
being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an
eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part
of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of
hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But
in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he
wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it
is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I
don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On
the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat
with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with
special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.
But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that
lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its
parts should have equal concern for each other. If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a
part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of
guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all
prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater
gifts. – 1st Corinthians 12.12-31
The process is not about right and wrong and making winners and
losers but about righteousness and holiness between God and us and between each
other. It is about building up the Body of Christ and drawing people into the
reign of God’s kingdom – that is the work that we are called to. We are to be
that presence to help one another to be reconciled to God and in the process
become family to one another. What welds the Church together is a common faith
in the mission that God has given them and a trust in each other that is like
family.
I rejoice that we are in the time we are in this Church and in
this country because this is a time where we can, as a community, no longer a
weak gospel. The “its no biggy” approach to preaching the reconciling message
of God will no longer work in Canada. We need to preach and live so that people
will feel the wind and experience the flame. This world is destined to be transformed
and to experience holiness – life that is animated by the things of heaven. Our
life and ministry need to help people to keep short accounts with God and with
neighbours through loving them into the kingdom.
Be ready to preach, pray and die at a moment’s notice. Be
prepared to seek out the least, the last and the lost for the sake of the One
who would not live without us. Be ready to forgive and to make reconciliation work in your life and in the life of your faith community. Most of all, let us strive to love one another
as Christ love us and gave himself up for us that we would be the victorious
Church when we get to be the Church at rest.
Jason+
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